Professor Diarmuid Hegarty:

Hear, hear. I completely agree with an tUasal Miley. I use that title to reflect his contribution to higher education over many years. Apprenticeships, and earning and learning, are a significant opportunity for us to expand the third-level cohort. We need, as a society, to change our attitudes. We also need to provide progression plans from apprenticeships. We need to respect them as potential sources of entry to degrees, masters, doctorates, and professional doctorates.

It will be an area of huge growth. Griffith College is involved in two apprenticeship programmes now and we expect to be involved in many more. Apprenticeship programmes give students the opportunity to earn while learning. For many students and their families, this is the solution to the problem. It is also a model which suits some students who learn better in a work context. Therefore, I ask that the importance of this approach not be underestimated. It will make a significant difference in solving the budget problem identified in the Cassells report some years ago.